Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved suspension device for protection of the elbow of bed and ambulatory patients against abrasive contact with bed sheets or other objects. The device is particularly useful for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers which may form on the elbow because of continuous and repeated frictional contact with the bed sheets.
Over the years, a variety of heel and elbow protective devices for bed patients have been developed and the following list of U.S. patents show and describe a variety of prior art protective devices for the heel and elbow:
U.S. Pat. No 2,550,461--Thick PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,747--Posey PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,417--Posey PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,322,118--Southerland PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,867--S. C. Moore et al PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,233--Holley, Jr. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,884--Peter PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,291--Bankers PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,619--Williams PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,022--Walker PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,062--Buttler PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,442--Boone PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,134--Hanrahan
Applicants herein have also previously developed a heel supporting boot for bed patients shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,738. Many of the existing prior art suspension devices have been subject to a range of difficulties and disadvantages. A major one of these difficulties is the tendency of the support device to come loose from the limb, fall off, or slide and rotate on the limb to a position wherein the elbow or other joint is not supported or protected. Many prior art devices are not designed to accommodate normal patient movement and tend to reduce patient activity when worn. In addition, many of the prior art devices tend to restrict normal movement of the limb and also become hot and uncomfortable to the patient because of inadequate air ventilation adjacent the skin. Other difficulties are encountered with prior art devices including the creation of undesirable high pressure points between the suspension device and the body surface, often resulting in a sore or restriction of circulation. Prior art devices do not allow for convenient treatment of ambulatory patients with such disorders as olecranon bursitis because of slippage.